Letter of Marque
by Harmonium-Kruger
Summary: On one of many days out at sea, Natsuki was asked a question by Fate itself. "Will you lose, gain or sacrifice?" It is the year 1703 and a lone star flickers red, signalling something to rise on the horizon. (Collaboration with Twisted Eternal Wolvetta)


**Letter of Marque**

**Chapter One**

**Demise & Flourish**

_**By Harmonium-Kruger and Twisted Eternal Wolvetta**_

_**Letter of Marque: A document given to a sailor (privateer) giving him amnesty from piracy laws as long as the ship's plunders are of an enemy nation. Letters of marque are not always honored, however, even by the government that issues them.**_

**~L~**

Hand over hand, the rough rope would be pulled with great concentration even with the frayed thorns sticking out from the twined fabric; Palms no doubt more calloused because of it. There were stains from old blood, though it didn't bother the woman currently pulling more than her share.

Their ship on the sea could handle far more than their fair share, but the fishing boat was another story completely. At least they had fixed that last hole… Which she still considered her partner's fault.

Who else but her would step like lead right into a boat and sink their foot straight to water?

"Zhang, if you don't start pulling, I'm going to kick you off of my boat."

"Chill it, Kruger. Besides, what's the fuss, we're about to get into the water."

This woman was always so serious. The shorter pirate rolled her eyes, latching her hands onto the rope and pulling onto it firmly, balancing the boat out securely which slowly lowered down from the ship.

The two of them were the treasure divers of the crew, their gear consisting of nothing but the clothes they wore on their back, excluding boots and jackets. Or in Nao's case her scarf also which held no presence around her neck, although her green hat did sit atop her head for the time being.

"That's not the point," Natsuki barked.

"Fine, fine." Releasing the rope and lifting her hands up as if surrendering, the fiery redhead smirked wickedly, the fellow pirate yelping as the boat tilted mercilessly.

"_Zhang! _Hold the fucking rope!"

Cackling echoed across the sea and ship, Nao firmly tugging onto the rope and shoving the boat back into a horizontal position.

"You do that again, and the next ring I find I won't chuck you the gem. What are you even doing with those?" Natsuki growled over to her, the two finally settling the boat down into the water in peace.

"None of your business." Nao answered back in a melody style, the elder woman grumbling as she released the ropes from the small vessel.

Looking up to the ship, Natsuki lifted a hand and gave the hull a dull pat. "We'll be back." She murmured, noting a spyglass on the floor of the boat.

Lifting her eyes to the younger woman, they stared at each other before both diving for it, rocking the boat and causing more ruckus.

"It's my turn, dog!" "You almost crashed the boat into the side of the Aswad, you brat!"

"Will you two _shut up down there_?!"

The pair, hands attached to either end of the spyglass peered upwards, their second-in-command hawking down on them, hands planted either side of her on the railing of the Aswad. "I already have a headache!"

The teal-haired woman above them was adorned in a tightly fitting shirt of dark-grey, the smooth material almost black. Frills were attached around the halter neckline, reaching down towards ribs, they hung slightly against the railings, the cuffs of the woman's sleeves resting against the oaken surface. "Get going!"

"Jeez…" Nao pried a hand away from the spyglass, wafting a hand up to the woman dismissively. "Calm down, Tomoe."

"We are!" Natsuki called back up to the second-in-command, giving a bit of an arrogant smirk. She held the spyglass closer to her chest, a tight burgundy sleeveless tunic her choice for diving, the faint neckline tied tight across each other sloppily.

"I'll bring you back something nice!" She shouted again, no doubt aggravating the headache Tomoe claimed to have.

"Just be away with you two!" The woman hissed, turning her back and stalking off.

"Not doing so well in that area, are you, Kruger?" Nao sneered, grasping the oars and looping them through the ports and over the sides as she sat in position.

"Shut up and start rowing… That way." Lifting the spyglass to an eye, the elder pointed off towards a bundle of sharp rocks not too far off.

"You are no fun." The lime-eyed woman shook her head but rowed, facing the other pirate. "Who bit your head this morning? Oh, wait, don't tell me." Nao grinned, the gesture merely intensifying as the elder growled and glared.

The rest of their short journey was unspoken, and once arriving at their destination Nao heaved the oars from the circular ports, resting them vertically along the boat's bottom, resting underneath the seating.

"We are here, your _highness_."

Rolling her eyes to that, Natsuki took a quick survey around the rocks jutting above the water. The sloshing of waves against the grey rocks made the water murkier than she was used to, but she was confident they would be fine.

"Got your knife?" Natsuki lifted up her short tunic to shove the handle of her own in tight trousers, the legs rolled to her knees and the elder pirate barefoot.

"Who do you think I am?" The other, dressed similarly to Natsuki except adorning a pink-white striped shirt snickered, lifting her hat and revealing a knife, throwing the article of clothing aside onto the boat.

"Under the hat. Really?" Natsuki's voice panned more toward the dead, narrowing a gaze before she shrugged. Taking the hilt of her knife in one hand, she slipped it from her trousers and peered over the side of the boat.

"You ready?"

The redhead opened her mouth as if to comment snarkily, but decided against it, standing and brushing her clothes down with her left hand. "I am."

The younger woman couldn't help herself however. "Remember to hold your breath." And before the elder could react the redhead plunged into the water, disappearing.

"I'll show you holding breath…" The elder grumbled, jumping in and sinking down, breath held tight as she fought to regain sight from the water surrounding her. It seemed the rocks were stuck jutting atop a sunken isle…

Looking to Nao, Natsuki lifted a hand and pointed down before she began to swim towards the bottom.

Through some old but reliable contacts they had been informed of a shipwreck dating back to at least a century. What they were looking for precisely… well, that depended on the quality and quantity. They hoped for jewels, ingots and perhaps even a cannon, but they _were _pirates so they would make ends meet somehow, even if they had to lug up the ship.

Hopefully the wreck wasn't too deep...

Surveying the figurehead, Natsuki eagerly swam down and clutched one of the loose boards on the ruptured hull. Eyeing the inside, a few fish scattered before she pulled herself inside. Seems she was just a bit from the captain's cabin… She wondered if Nao found the supply deck.

Thankfully the ship wasn't too deep underwater, having crashed into the rocks with evidence of cannonball damage along its sides. A lot of the floor had been taken out from where she had entered, she assumed by cannon fire also and dragged herself towards the captain's cabin, a logical route to take for treasure.

Something caught her eye, and she paused, leaning in to see it better. Scratches… No, the dragging of nails, as if someone had been pulled away and tried to hang on. Confused as she was, she traced the scratches before a shadow fell over her.

Whipping around as fast as she could, Natsuki brandished her knife.

Nao smirked at her, gently tapping her knife against Natsuki's playfully, an amused expression on her face before she gestured she was about to surface, a heavy bag around her neck.

Shaking, Natsuki waved her off and pulled herself into the cabin.

Fortunately the door had been snapped off its hinges at some point. Where the door now rested she had no clue nor thought upon the concept, quickly scanning the room.

Naturally for a shipwreck the room was a complete mess, the small window was smashed with the bed having been shoved over towards it, probably having moved when the ship had bombarded itself into the devastating rocks.

She couldn't believe Nao had already found something… Huffing internally, the elder pirate found a chest of drawers toppled onto its side against the wall. Pulling at the area between the hull, she managed to slam it down onto the broken floor, shaking the ship a bit.

Must be something heavy in them…

Opening the first, she darted back when a few fish swam out, rolling her eyes again. Aha… Glistening underneath muck, she saw gold.

It wasn't too much, but she swiftly scooped the pieces into her hands, gathering them into the bag which was also around her torso. Opening the other there were only a few items of interest but of much more value, jewels hinting their worth before her eyes.

She would have to surface soon…her chest was beginning to cave with the lack of air suppressed inside.

Natsuki paused, hands tightly clutching the bag into place, approaching the doorway to exit.

Just as she turned from the doorway towards the hole in the hull she had come in from, another shadow fell over her. Narrowing her eyes, she turned around about to wave the knife at Nao again, before coming face to face with the underbelly of a large shark.

Freezing, Natsuki darted her gaze to the hole in the hull. She couldn't sneak past it now, and she wasn't about to turn her back on it.

Readying the knife, hand clenching around it tightly, Natsuki's feet found the floor and kicked off. She struck, burying and slashing at the beast's underbelly.

The predator thrashed around harshly, the shark being punished with a large gash to its skin, crimson blood flowing out from the wound and rolling out, surrounding it and Natsuki. Twisting desperately and sacrificing more of its underside to the human, it bared its jaws to the pirate.

"_Oh shi-"_

Air rushing out of her lungs when the shark rushed her, her back was slammed hard into the hull as her arm was engulfed by the beast's mouth. Thrashing her legs, the pirate roared as she swung her arm inside of its jaw. She was more worried she might drown first before the shark could kill her…

A sharp pain and suddenly she was free, blood flowing behind her as she swam and panicked, kicking off from the boat to try to surface quicker. She felt relief as she broke through the top of the water, though blackness was clouding her vision.

"Nao! Help!"

Auspiciously for the injured pirate, the gods had listened to the plea, their boat with the younger pirate just a few meters or so away from her. Nao snapped her head to catch sight of the older woman, lime eyes widening. Without a word the now incredibly spooked redhead dived in for her, a worry pitting itself into Nao's stomach as she pinpointed the area of damage upon Natsuki, blood flowing loosely and pretty quickly from it.

"_Shark bite?"_

"There, fucking shark…" At those scattered words, Nao hurriedly drug Natsuki onto the boat and hawked the water around them.

"Lost my knife… in its belly…" The elder gasped for air, vision clearing as she sat up against the side of the boat. "Ah, my arm…"

Looking to it, her eyes widened and she paled. Exposed muscle and sinew dangled around an obvious space where a chunk had been ripped from, bone visible as rivulets of dark blood rushed down.

"...NAO!" Natsuki screamed viciously, startling the younger pirate to look.

"A-aah-h, we need to get you to Y-Youko." The words jumbled from the pirates mouth, staring dead-set at the wound along Natsuki's arm. Her body went into auto-drive, grabbing the oars and hooking them into place sloppily.

The process of losing blood was very quick - far too quickly for Natsuki's liking who hunched over tensely, her hand desperately if not agonizingly pressing against the shark bite of her right arm. The piercing pain came in flashes and tore through her arm and up to her fingers, blinking away pained tears.

She couldn't concentrate on nothing but the mutilated limb which hung uselessly, resting against her thighs. She couldn't even hear the jabbing of Nao's shouts which attempted to regain her attention, nor the hands which shook at her shoulders before she fell unconscious, collapsing into the pirate's front.

"Damn it- Oi, Tomoe, Princess! We need some help down here!" Nao screamed, voice torn between frustration and terror, several others peeking over the railing to see what all the ruckus was about.

The boat was so full of blood, it turned Nao's stomach, the woman stepped on one of the boards across it to escape the ankle deep trench of crimson.

Much too slowly for Nao's liking, Tomoe sluggishly reached over the railing to stare down to her passively, a flicker of emotions tore across the woman's face for a moment or two, grey eyes swapping from the redhead to the other pirate. She threw her weight back, clutching the shoulder of one pirate and pushing them to the trapdoor. "Get Youko, _NOW!_"

The order was rough, too uncharacteristic to what her fellow pirates were used to hearing from her, the pirates tripping before running off directly for the Aswad's doctor.

Tomoe snarled, ordering another overboard to help with pulling the boat up. She had far too much to shuck off to do so herself…

Nao clambered to attach the rope to her side of the boat, murmuring quickly to herself as she tried to stop from panicking. "Don't rock the boat." She ordered the older pirate as she pulled herself over, immediately taking purchase on the over cross-board to avoid the blood.

Ropes in place, they began to pull the boat up.

As the boat was vaulted up and locked into place, Youko came running over, either brushing past or shoving fellow pirates out of the way who spied glances over towards the injured woman. Swinging over the railing and onto the boat carefully, she bypassed the brunette - Aoi - touching her index and middle fingers to the wounded diver's throat.

"She is alive," she said after a moment, "but her heartbeat is dying-you." She pointed at Aoi. "Fetch me all my things." She scanned the woman's arm with her eyes quickly before tearing them back up to the pirate. "And the saw."

"Aye ma'am!" Aoi climbed onto the ship, scurrying back down for the medical doctor's workshop.

Slowly, Natsuki's eyes began to open, and when they did, emerald burst wide. "Ahh!" She screamed, causing Nao to scream and Youko to flinch, the boat rocking in the rope's hold.

"Calm, Natsuki! You and you, hold her, Tomoe, you too!"

"We can't on the boat, we need to move her," the teal-haired pirate hurried, pulling herself over and to the other woman's side. "Oi, Kruger," she patted the smooth skin of the slightly older pirate's cheek, emeralds snapping to her grey eyes, panic, pain and confusion illuminated inside them, "You're on the ship, not at sea."

Tomoe scooped her arm underneath the pirate's shoulders, avoiding the left arm completely and then snapped her gaze to the others, uncaring of the blood quickly covering her form. "Well then?! Stop standing there like masts! Hurry up and help me!" She roared.

Aoi returned with the doctor's bag and the bone saw, Nao climbing over onto the boat for Natsuki. "W-we, shark…?" The redhead stammered, obviously very shaken.

"Quite obvious, Zhang." Youko pulled herself over as well, pointing at the deck. "Lay her down, and hold her. Keep her still." She ordered, a few more pirates surrounding them to watch.

"Wh-what? What? No, get that saw away from me!" Natsuki wailed, trying to get out of everyone's grip.

She was overpowered easily, her strength failing in vain, and she cried, unthinking as she shoved her face into the nape of the teal-haired woman's throat who glanced down towards her. She knew there was a risk of death and she _didn't _want her arm going-anything but that.

Aoi and Youko supported her lower weight, the five of them lugging her dead weight onto the Aswad.

"Nina, get Nao out of here," Youko spoke quickly, bringing Natsuki down gently.

Startling out of her stare, Nina grasped onto the shocked redhead and dragged her down below deck. "She'll be fine." The younger woman spoke swiftly, trying to get her down a few more decks before a blood-curdling scream rang out.

Youko grit her teeth, having just pulled one thrust of the saw and it hadn't even gone through a quarter of the bone, though it rattled on Natsuki's arm painfully. "Hold her tighter."

The blood which had seeped onto the deck was quickly spreading from the limb, and Tomoe wondered whether Natsuki would bleed to death before the arm was gotten rid of. She held onto the pirate's jaw, keeping her head down firmly, her left hand entrapping Natsuki's left forearm against the planks. "She needs something to bite down on," she called above the sobbing, forcing herself to not glance down to the taller woman, else even she may faulter.

"I've got it." Aoi pulled out a thin slab of wood, thick enough to stifle her. "Natsuki, open- Tomoe, put pressure on her jaw."

Natsuki's jaw was forced open, the wood being inserted and chomped down upon tightly. Youko grumbled softly, making sure Aoi returned to holding her down before speaking.

"Natsuki, this is going to hurt, but I have to saw it off before you bleed to death." The doctor was blunt, and began to saw rapidly, the injured pirate's screaming muffled.

The two minutes which bypassed felt like hours, Tomoe and Aoi's hold on Natsuki never relented, even when the emerald-eyed woman's fighting died down to none-existence, Natsuki's throat burning and cracked, only a whimper releasing from her as the doctor's saw cut through the bone and tore through the rest of the skin.

"There, the arm is off, but all this blood… I don't think I can get it to stop." Youko spoke with concern, trying to get a few of her vials from the bag before Natsuki shot up with another scream, spitting out the slab of wood.

Instead of blood spurting from her arm, it was ice, coating from the severed end out towards where her arm had been and shaping until it was solid. A gauntlet of sorts, heavy and clear, Natsuki stared at it with a horrific expression.

Aoi fainted back, and Youko's brows shot up high.

The injured pirate's chest heaved, swearing and sobbing, the last of the adrenaline soaking up and dispersing. Her head hit the deck lightly, tilting her head away from the oddity which was now attached to the stump of her arm.

That… _thing _had everything. It had the elbow, the forearm, the knuckles, fingers… hell, it was the perfect duplicate of her original one. It sickened her.

"What in the hell is that?" Youko lowly spoke, hesitating before resting her palm onto it.

"Don't touch it!" Natsuki roared out, reeling away and cradling the crystal arm. She could feel… God, it was sickening.

"I'm gonna throw up."

Lurching, the pirate barely managed to drag herself over to the edge of the ship and crumple against the railing before releasing the contents which had supplied her stomach, her weight becoming dead and zoning out, all of the reserved energy failing.

"Grab her!" Youko ordered, grasping the back of the pirate's soaked tunic as another grabbed her real arm and tugged her back in case she were to fall over.

Natsuki's head was spinning, she barely registered clean water running over her face. "Someone tell the Captain…"

"The Captain is blind drunk...she'd never believe us."

"_No one_ would believe us, idiot."

"You," Tomoe barked to the pirate who had spoken last, the woman freezing and standing up straight tensely. "Go and tell her, just bring her."

It was a simple concept, just fetch her without telling her the reason. Why couldn't these people think up such a thing? Steel-grey narrowed, and Tomoe shifted to Natsuki who was partially unconscious, on the verge of falling asleep.

"And tell Zhang," she muttered just before the pirate could head towards the captain's cabin.

"Don't fall asleep." Youko admonished the injured woman, pouring more water onto her face.

"I just came out of the goddamn sea! Stop pouring water on me!" She growled, smacking the canteen away with her crystal arm.

Freezing with it in the air, she stared. It was… manipulated just like flesh.

"I-I-I d-...don't want this thing," she stuttered, her skin paling even further, so much one would think she was dead. Ice shouldn't behave like this! Let alone give her feeling! She had never felt anything when freezing something or somebody with ice, so how come _now_?! She shuffled backwards in a panic, her back hitting the railing of the ship.

"Natsuki," the once silent Aoi spoke up, sprawling over towards her and clutching her cheeks between her palms, Youko shooing the pirates away back to their duties. "Relax." The brunette neared her, shuffling past Tomoe who, unsure with what to do stood, maneuvering over to the doctor to silently converse.

"...Okay…" Natsuki murmured, brows quirked up as she tried to wrangle away from the cupping of Aoi's hands.

"I just need you to relax." The doctor's assistant repeated, thumbs stroking along the contour of her high cheeks. This could be an intimate gesture, she was sure some saw it as such.

Natsuki kept her eyes on blue, staring and swallowing hard. With a hard breath, she slowly nodded.

"You are on the Aswad, nobody wants to hurt you." The state of what this pirate was under, Aoi was more than sure that she would develop shell shock, perhaps even a chronic condition. "I want you to come down to the lower decks, alright?" Aoi asked her, holding their gaze steadily.

"It might be a good idea to keep Zhang away," Youko murmured down to the brunette, the elder woman of the group pinpointing her eyes to the icy gauntlet.

"But wh-" Natsuki would've snapped, but was interrupted, Aoi staring at her pointedly, silencing her.

"...Okay…"

"After the Captain sees." Youko spoke, staring down at the severed arm and the blood. "Lot of swabbing the deck tonight…" She added, looking over the railing for the boat, the contraption absolutely covered in the red liquid, red footprints scattered along the boats.

"What will you name that shark, Kruger?" She asked to distract Natsuki, the injured pirate staring at Aoi still.

"...Heh… Juliet."

Snickering the doctor shoved her hands into her tight trouser pockets. "She has her attitude still."

"I don't think Nao'd like that," Aoi lifted a brow, pulling away from the older woman slowly, positive that the fellow pirate would be alright for the time being.

"This better be good for waking me…" The drawled and drunken voice of their Captain drifted in from the trapdoor, the redhead wobbling as she pulled herself up onto deck, staggering as she set eyes onto Natsuki. "T-the fuck's that!" She pointed to the icy embodiment, eyebrows twitching and her lips curling into a confused gesture.

Aoi was quick to distract Natsuki again so that she wouldn't be spurred into a panic.

"A shark almost tore her arm off, I had to saw the rest. Soon as it dropped, crystal gauntlet formed." Youko bluntly spoke, gesturing to the blood coating the three of them.

Midori's eyes flickered to the limp body part which lay on the planks then over to Natsuki's "new" arm, puzzled eyes becoming even more so as she swapped between the two targets of interest.

A sigh released from Tomoe, smoothing the padding of her fingertips along her temples – either uncaring or unbeknownst to the blood tinting her fingertips - before leaning down to clasp hold of the handle of the saw, heading to Midori. "She used this bone saw," she pointed to it, bringing it closer to the drunk captain who backed her upper half away from it. "To chop the arm off," she gestured in a slicing movement and then threw it aside, the bloody instrument sliding against the deck and halting beside Youko who stared down to it. "And then she formed a new arm."

The Captain frowned, studying Natsuki and then tilting her head before slowly nodding.

"And now both your treasure divers might be out of it for a while. But, they found gold, gems and Zhang managed to find a small silver statue of a lion…" Youko murmured softly, rummaging inside the two blood pasted bags.

"Silver statue?" The Captain seemed to sober out of her drunkenness, cupping her chin in thought. "We would get our best bargain in Asia… but," she frowned, staring down to the planks of the deck. "That's the Zipang's territory…"

Neither did it help that the Zipang crew sort of had a bone to pick with them either, seeing as they kidnapped one of their own…

"Let me think over it," Midori reasoned, wincing at the abandoned arm then over towards Natsuki who had been moved, Aoi gently contending with the injured pirate, having made sure the woman's back was facing the bloody disaster.

"Mm, of course. We're taking Kruger down below." Youko spoke softly again, nodding to the Captain. "I'm sure this mess will be taken care of…" She snagged the severed arm and her supplies, standing.

"Aoi, come."

Natsuki stared up to the brunette again, head spinning a bit as she was slowly helped up.

Aoi gave her another sympathetic look, smiling faintly, guiding the pirate over towards the trapdoor. In the meantime whilst Natsuki sluggishly climbed her way down the ladder, Aoi attempted to pinpoint the second-in-command's location.

She quickly found her and her eyebrows furrowed. What was she doing?

The teal-haired woman had her back facing her, throwing commands left, right and center amongst the hurrying crew, directing an index finger towards the pool of drying blood, demanding them to clean the mess up.

"Be careful, Natsuki…" Aoi called down to her, hearing a faint thud before she sighed and started to climb down the ladder after her.

"It slipped." Natsuki grumbled, sluggishly standing up at the bottom of the ladder and backing off so Aoi could ease off of it.

"I'm surprised you even tried to use it." She commented, watching the elder eye the transparent crystal.

The medical assistant wasn't sure whether she would ever get used to seeing the oddity. Almost all of it was see-through except for the joint of its elbow to the stump of Natsuki's arm. Everything was so detailed, everything was there, even a bone structure which was utterly visible, down from the tips of the fingers to the complexity of the hands, forearm and elbow.

Checking to make sure the wound was healthy was out of the question now. Seeing as the fellow pirate experienced a strange pain and feeling. Was it phantom pain, Aoi wondered?

"It… It's just… I don't want to think of it." The elder lowered her arm, unconsciously clenching and unclenching the hand of it.

Aoi smiled briefly, nodding. "Of course…" Youko descended the ladder as well, clasping a hand to Natsuki's shoulder.

"Come, let's see about getting you a little something to ease those frayed nerves…"

Natsuki wasn't sure if she liked the idea of this. It had only been a few minutes since this woman had literally sawn her arm off, after all… she stared at the tall woman suspiciously, narrowing her green eyes sharply.

"A hint - the chow deck," the doctor smiled widely, Natsuki groaning.

"You are going to get me drunk…?" She muttered, the shark unconsciously entering her mind upon the name, making her flinch. Maybe trying to forget with ale really would help… she wondered? Whether or not it tasted gross to her or not.

"Glad you're on board." Youko grinned, dropping off her bag and the severed arm. "Don't look over here, Natsuki."

Of course they weren't going to allow Natsuki to get drunk nor be around ale at all. That would be the worst idea possibly made at this moment. But they needed her to have some sort of focus at least.

"Avoiding at literally all costs." The pirate grumbled, pulling at her soaking and skin-tight tunic. "Can I get into some dry clothes before you knock my mind into oblivion?"

"Aoi-" "I'll get your things." The assistant smiled, giving her back a soft rub before she climbed back up the ladder.

That assistant sure was being affectionate today… The gears within Natsuki's brain churned away. Then again Aoi was naturally a touch-feely person… caring, selfless. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with it, but to have those characteristics directed to her was something new to experience.

Other than what Mai already portrayed, that is - who she was about to see. Natsuki groaned, sliding the palm of her left hand against her jaw to her temple. She didn't want the fuss… she knew for a fact that every single member of the crew knew of her predicament as well.

This was going to be way too difficult and annoying…

"On second thoughts…" She made an attempt to back away, but she bumped into Youko's front, the taller woman arching a brow down to her who clamped her hands to her shoulders, spinning her around slowly and guiding her towards the chow deck.

"But, Mai-!" Natsuki tried to fight but succumbed easily, weak from blood loss.

"Is it… actually safe for me to…?" She trailed, shaking her head to keep from passing out again.

"Don't think about it." Youko advised, shoving the door open and guiding Natsuki in. The injured pirate distanced herself from touching her crystal arm at all costs; Her palm hovering over it from elbow to hand to try and mask each and every part bit by bit as others began to notice.

All hushed talk stopped, and Natsuki softly filled the silence with a groan and a curse.

From behind the bar a door stood lonesome, until it was swung open with a particular redhead appearing, right hand deftly supporting a plate of food above her. She noticed the silence and she immediately located Natsuki.

"Natsuki!"

The woman in return hissed, cussing.

Hurriedly the cook and apothecarist ventured towards her as soon as she set the plate down before a pirate, looping her arms around the taller woman's shoulders.

"G-Get off, Mai."

"Might not be the best idea to touch her…" Youko added, slowly untangling Mai from the injured pirate.

Not only had Natsuki completely flinched from the touch, but her brows drew together as if she were angry. This was not the Natsuki she knew… Her attitude had changed completely from earlier in the day.

Lifting her hand again, the diver tried to cover her arm. "I wish Aoi had brought my jacket first."

"Ah...I am sorry, Natsuki." Mai winced, violets curiously surveying the precise detail of the elder's arm, entranced by how the crystal had formed the bone structure.

But still… Mai opened her mouth as if to voice something, forcing her eyes away from the icy gauntlet politely. "You need to eat and drink Natsuki!" She scolded softly, quickly exiting the chow deck and into her supply room before Natsuki could decide against it.

Sighing, the emerald-eyed pirate's shoulders fell, unconsciously clasping her left hand to her icy arm, recoiling upon the notion.

It didn't even feel cold… It was warm, almost as if it were flesh. But it didn't give, it was hard, and…

Stomach flipping, Natsuki heaved forward but Youko caught her, directing her to an open port-hole to vomit through.

Rubbing her back, she was relieved when Aoi returned. She wasn't quite the affectionate type. "Here, Natsuki, clothes." The doctor spoke, making sure the injured pirate was done heaving before she turned her around.

Grunting, Natsuki slid her left hand against her mouth, ridding of the last of the disgusting liquid, eyes shifting unconsciously and nervously - she shot a glare towards the pirates which continued to pry, the nosy crew swiftly avoiding her.

"I hate this…" She muttered, rubbing the palm of her dirtied hand against the front of her trouser leg before gladly taking the clothes from Aoi." Um… thanks."

"Are you… okay? Stupid question." Aoi sighed, gesturing Natsuki towards a pantry door. "Do you think you might… need help changing?"

"No, not at all, thank you." Natsuki still seemed confused by the sudden onset of attention, clearing her throat. "Just tell Mai I'm in there."

The assistant nodded, closing the door for the older woman once Natsuki had awkwardly entered the pantry.

"Do you think she _will _be alright…?" Aoi cautiously asked Youko, the doctor shoving her hands back into her pockets at last.

"Honestly…? I am unsure," Youko murmured quietly, an enthusiastic Mai evidently confused as she halted before the pair, a plate above her head suspended by fingertips, food, drink and even medicine there. "Where's Natsuki?"

"..." With a simple point towards the door behind her, Youko nodded.

"Oh."

"Don't walk in on her. I think she might explode, literally." Youko warned, but Natsuki slipped out of the pantry a moment later, wet clothes clutched in her real hand.

Her jacket covered her crystal arm, the heavy coal material a comforting weight upon her shoulders. She one-handedly started to cinch the buttons lacing together the open sides with the crystal hand, unconsciously using it before she noticed and flinched away as if it were a blade at her belly.

She dropped her wet clothes, smoothing her hand along dark trousers and shuffling her boots, trying to find that comfort again. She had always liked her jacket...it fit against her figure nicely and securely, the collar arching upwards around the back of her neck, her long raven locks moved aside so they weren't inside the jacket.

The jacket itself contrasted pleasantly with the white tunic underneath, this shirt's collar messy and undone.

"I don't really want to be here…" She mumbled, clashing eyes with the pirates who stared again, tensing. "People keep staring - and I feel so tired." Not to mention her throat still ached, Natsuki was surprised she was even able to talk after all that… she paused, grinding her teeth.

"Natsuki?" Mai murmured in concern, a frown marring her features as she inched herself towards her, tilting her head a little lower to catch Natsuki's expression.

"I honestly just want to go to sleep." The elder whispered to her, and Mai noticed that her hand, not the crystal one, was skidding her fingertips against her thumb over and over.

"Stay for something to eat. You need to get some energy back, you've lost a lot of blood." Youko advised once more, leaning into Mai's ear to speak softly. "If she falls asleep, make sure she doesn't stop breathing."

Natsuki cleared her throat, eyes on the floor as she wavered in her stance, still quite pale.

Nodding Mai quickly broke the temptation of guiding Natsuki with the palm of her free hand. "Natsuki? Do you want to sit at the back of the deck?"

The back was secluded of prying eyes of the pirates and was usually where Midori, Tomoe, Chie and Sara would sit; being as they were the top ranking pirates who ran the Aswad.

"...Yeah." The older woman cleared her throat again, lifting her hand to rub at her neck. "I suppose I do need to eat something."

"There you go, come here…" Mai murmured softly, leading her towards the back and glaring at anyone who lingered their sight too long. Everyone knew, why try and sneak glances? They would no doubt see it eventually…

Natsuki was hiding it again, the icy hand which was poking out the cuff of her sleeve underneath her elbow, covering most of it up away from the spying eyes. Natsuki hated everything about this, the arm, the burning of her throat and the piercing sensation of eyes hawking her body persistently.

She felt like a piece of flesh being fought over by a pack of hyenas.

Fortunately for her there was no one currently occupying the back of the deck, a barrel unceremoniously beside the table beside the port window, a lone candle flickering atop the container.

"Thank you, Mai… I hope I'm not being mean to you." Natsuki winced faintly, taking a seat at the table to face the others so she could see who came down, and glare at the others still trying to peek.

"I understand, Natsuki, don't worry." The redhead smiled, setting down her plate and giving her shoulder a squeeze. She was relieved it was her unharmed arm, Natsuki nodding as she picked up a spoon.

"Enjoy…"

Mai knew what Natsuki was like, and although she had put medicine beside the stew she knew the elder wouldn't take it… so she had slipped some into the stew when preparing it.

"_Such a child…"_

Retreating from the area, Mai set herself before the bar once more, waving a hand towards Youko and Aoi just before they departed. She would check up on her in a few minutes...

The stew was good; Hardy with a thick broth. Just what she needed… She felt so tired, but knew if she fell asleep now, she may not wake up. That alone was enough to make her side-eye the medicine bottle.

Chewing at her cheek numbly, she shook her head and shoveled a spoonful into her mouth. Not even now would she willingly subject herself to _that_.

Setting the spoon back into the bowl as she chewed, Natsuki stared into the stew. This would be a lot to get used to...

She fixed her emeralds onto her dominant left hand, lifting it closer with her spoon still held, silently watching it shake under the nerves of shock which she was still absently experiencing. She heaved a sigh, resting her left elbow against the table, ignoring the icy arm as best she could.

Maybe it had been fate? With a disdain she jolted the thought from her brain. Fate? So stupid. More like dumb luck.

She was a pirate, and a diver at that, she was bound to die violently. It had only been a matter of time until something life threatening was to occur… but… _this_? Unsure and exhausted eyes scanned the alien limb, only just studying the strange duplication of bones, veins and skin.

It was… weird and unsettling… it looked as if the bones and veins were hollow, as if no ice was compacted within them at all, the blue-tinted solid whitening the further they reached her fingertips.

Cautiously she tightened her hand into a fist, watching as the frozen fingers and knuckles whitened in response, flinching back in realization when she felt no heartbeat thud as her fingers tightly pressed together, seeing as there was no blood within the frozen limb...

She hated this - strongly. Soon, she was halfway through her bowl and still examining the arm with a fair amount of contempt. The deck had begun to clear out, a few perturbed by her suddenly morbid interest in the crystal limb.

The bowl was soon empty after that, the motherly redhead having stolen eyefuls of her form when passing by and Natsuki hid her hand again, cradling her brow with her real one as she sighed and closed her eyes. "So tired…"

"You can't sleep, Kruger."

Emeralds shot open, Tomoe's appearance greeting her.

"You'll stop breathing and will die." The second-in-command bluntly confirmed gloomily, a bowl of her own atop a plate, carrying it between her hands with an alert notion. "The others are leaving."

"Good." Natsuki huffed, not bothering to look at her more than once. Definitely very different… She shoved her chair to the wall farther from the teal-haired woman. "I'll switch tables if you want. Mai thought this one was best, since everyone was staring at me."

She cupped her brow again, turning away from the officer to not be inspected.

"I couldn't care where you sat Kruger, just don't die on me."

Natsuki supposed the reaction was better than the usual. The negativity of the reply was huge of course, but it still held hidden meaning to it.

Watching the faintly shorter woman from the corner of her eyes, Natsuki exhaled quietly, sliding her fingertips against both eyelids, banishing the fatigue from them for only a few given seconds. "_Give me a break…" _She just wanted to _sleep_.

"When can I sleep, exactly? There aren't many people to have a conversation with to keep me up." Natsuki grumbled, grasping the medicine bottle in a way that felt like snatching it, even though Tomoe hadn't expressed any interest in it.

Cocking a brow to that, Tomoe started on her stew with a bit of a haughty expression. "When I tell you to. There is more to do than just talk. For example, you could clean off any treasure you found."

The idea had never crossed her mind, then again she had recently _lost an arm_. "...No thanks," she muttered, sliding the bowl away from her along with the medicine. Not when that thing had been near it.

She had already thrown her guts up twice, she intended not to do so a third time.

"Practicing marksmanship?"

"No."

"Then _what_?" Annoyance was beginning to boil within Tomoe's brain as she stared at Natsuki, narrowing her eyes with frustration. "You're a pirate, slice something in the face, get drunk or, hell, fuck someone."

The teal-haired woman busied herself with her stew, taking no mind to the elder's crystal arm.

Sure it was weird, but who cares? It worked and that was all that mattered for all she was concerned.

Staring down at the table, in between her empty bowl and the medicine, Natsuki sighed and pushed herself from the wood to stand. "Goodnight." She remarked coldly down to the officer, taking the bowl and bottle over towards Mai.

"I didn't take any." She was quick to inform the pseudo-chef, who stifled a smile. "_Oh, but you did."_

"Of course, you didn't… Don't cry to me if you throw up again." Mai chided, smiling softly. "I'm… Really glad you're okay, Natsuki."

"...I know, Mai…" Natsuki trailed awkwardly, shuffling on the spot a little, unsure with what to do with herself. "... I want to sleep."

"Not alone," Mai warned, darting her eyes between the elder and the door. "Youko said to tell me you should go to her workshop, you'll be sleeping there tonight."

"Great..." If she had the ability, Natsuki would've thrown the weight of her arms down to her sides sharply, but unforgiving to her new arm and without the energy to do so she sagged. "Alright..."

**~L~**

The room was silent, far too much for Natsuki's liking who grumbled against the blankets and pillows of the bed, the ship gently rocking. Fortunately for now she was able to rest, under the somewhat annoying and hawking eyes of Youko and Aoi who had watched her that whole night, making sure she had been breathing whilst unconscious.

The door of the doctor's workshop was open wide with the port window also, allowing the fresh air to mix into the mustiness of the room, purifying it.

Surrounding the room was white noise being polluted from the crew, their voices loud and steps heavy, skittering to and from as they set the masts and went about their business.

The sun was rising as lazily as she was, it seemed; Bleeding the sky a brilliant pink before it slowly spread to a dull red. It was supposed to be good luck to wake and see the sky such a color.

To Natsuki, bombs the good luck. She wanted to sleep! Grumbling more, she turned away from the open area of the workshop and faced the wall, a porthole not too far from her face. At least the Aswad was turned from the sun… But the reflection off the water was enough to fully wake her, like it or not.

Memories of the shark flashed before her eyes and she growled, twisting around onto her other side, shoving her left arm atop her head and concealing her ear as Youko chuckled in amusement.

Right now she hated being so close to the sea, a confusing aspect for a pirate such as herself, neither did she take a liking to people staring at her. She shot her eyes open, leaning up to glare at Youko who sat upon an old chair in the corner, a leg crossed atop the other. "Stop it."

"Else what?"

Furrowing a brow before it twitched, Natsuki gnawed at the inside of her cheek, staring at the older woman before huffing, shoving herself back into the blankets.

"Seems you're definitely getting your energy back." The doctor quipped, causing the pirate to give an agitated and exasperated sigh. "How can I rest if you don't shut up?"

"Badly, I assume."

Natsuki huffed, pushing herself up and grumbling softly. The blankets fell from her chest, a sleeping tunic covering her modesty as well as her crystal arm. She had tried to keep it as far away during sleep as she could, even requesting several small pillows to bury between her body and the appendage.

"How many nights do I have to sleep in here while you and the other one stare?"

"I have a name," Aoi huffed, her back unturning, beside the doctor and scrawling onto parchment, dipping a quill into ink quickly, sat against the desk which Youko's own back faced. "And her name is Aoi."

"Hello, And-her-name-is-Aoi."

"..." The brunette scowled only faintly to Natsuki, unable to stop her lips curling into a smile, the older pirate grinning smugly. "Stop it!"

"Is she being a brat?" Popping through the door to peek, Mai smiled faintly at Natsuki.

"No, go away." "Yes." Aoi sighed, shaking her head.

"Someone's feeling better." Mai stifled a laugh at the glare thrown her way, easing into the workshop with a tray.

Sitting up quick in the bed, Natsuki glared when the violet-eyed woman couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sorry, Natsuki… But that was funny."

Being herself was comical? Natsuki stared suspiciously at Mai, emeralds glancing between the woman and the tray quickly every few moments, eyes never staying upon each target for too long.

To say the diver had her arm churned on and then sawn clear off was still baffling for Mai who ignored the elder's behavior for the time being, placing the tray gently onto the pirates lap. "Take your medicine this time," she scolded.

"_Even though it is already in her breakfast anyway." _Mai grinned, weirding Natsuki out who grabbed the spoon, glancing down to the stew - again?

"I had my arm sawn off, I can't get anything better than stew?" Mai put on an offended front, and Natsuki tried to backpedal. "Not that it's not good, it's just, I-"

Snickering, the cook waved off the glare from Natsuki when the elder realized she'd been had. "You might still be in shock, I don't want to give you anything that would be hard to throw up. Just eat, and relax."

Narrowing her eyes, Natsuki picked up her spoon once more and dug in slowly.

"I'm off," Mai nodded towards the two women seated and then Natsuki, "If I hear you've been stressing yourself again I'll kick you back into that bed myself, Natsuki."

Blinking over towards the empty space which the redhead had just occupied, the diver grumbled, focusing her attention onto her breakfast.

It wasn't like she had a choice anyway.

"I'm not taking this medicine." Natsuki grumbled, gratefully spooning the stew into her mouth at a rather ravenous pace.

Youko smirked to Aoi, lifting her eyes towards the injured pirate again. Natsuki had gained some color back but from the blood-loss was overall still very pale. In a few days, she would regain her color and old self back. At least, she hoped.

As the minutes trailed by and the pirate was finally left in peace to eat, once eating the last few spoonfuls of the stew Natsuki paused, her ears twitching in reaction to a commotion which noisily echoed throughout the Aswad, some pirates shouting out before the sound of thudding was heard.

"Get out of the way, moron."

"What happened now?" Youko sighed softly to herself, pushing off from her desk to stand.

Everything happened, at least on a pirate ship. More than once, though she was the first to get attacked by a shark on the Aswad, to her knowledge at least.

"Nothing as bad as-" Coming through the door, the second-in-command froze at meeting Natsuki's gaze.

The pirate glared back, turning her head to direct her stony expression out of the porthole.

The teal-haired commander's palm was gashed, Tomoe having lifted it above her head, encircling her left around around her right wrist to halt the blood, feeling pretty ridiculous with her position.

She flickered her grey eyes away from Natsuki with a difficulty, peering over to Youko. "Zhang slashed me."

"...And why?" Youko cocked a brow, bringing over her kit and gesturing the officer take a seat.

"We were playing five finger fillet." Tomoe answered briskly, taking a seat and crossing her legs.

"...Then, why is your palm slashed, and not the back of your fingers?"

"Palm up style."

"_Pirates…" _Hang on, she was still one. Arching a brow Youko shook her head, retrieving a vial of alcohol from her kit, unscrewing the cork to then pour it across the slash along Tomoe's palm.

The wound stung, the teal-haired commander twitching.

"Why do you even play this game?" Youko muttered, getting a cloth and wiping the cut gently, wrapping it in bandages quickly and deftly.

"...Because it is exciting?" Tomoe lifted a brow, puzzled.

Natsuki huffed at that, shaking her head and averting her gaze still when Tomoe's lifted to her own. "...So Nao won, then?" The other pirate hadn't come to see her, though she could understand.

"I suppose, she didn't end up with a gash as bad to need treatment." Tomoe's brow lifted more, the officer roaming her eyes over Natsuki. She wasn't curious to see the limb, however, more to see if the other woman had any other wounds they may not have noticed.

The emerald-eyed female didn't seem to portray any discomfort though, and she was sure that Youko would've seen through Natsuki instantly if she had been hiding something.

But whatever, she wasn't here to sit around all day and irritate Natsuki all day, as much as she wanted to. She had a meeting with the captain, navigator and helmsman anyway. That's if Midori wasn't blind drunk - again.

"I plan to see you above deck later, Kruger." Tomoe stood once her bandages were set, ruffling her frills around her shirt before she stalked off.

Snorting faintly at that, Natsuki looked over towards Aoi. "Where are my clothes?" She rubbed a palm over her face, slowly standing to ease the tray onto a side-barrel and off of her lap.

"Washroom." The assistant answered, averting her gaze when the elder stood. Seems she only slept in that long tunic and whatever might be underneath.

The elder didn't seem to notice though, Natsuki sluggishly trailing over towards the room and shutting the door after her. She quickly located the clothing, removing her tunic.

The icy arm which was still as frozen solid as it had been last night was attached securely to her upper arm, and she stared down at it, unspoken answers still awaiting to be answered.

Why had this arm formed? Why now? _How_?

Natsuki only wanted these questions to be answered, but she doubted they ever would be.

The people of this quickly evolving planet… many women had "powers" similar to these, though few rarely grasped onto them fully to make a proper understanding to how they worked. All she knew was the weird myth which seemed to be true in some concept, that only cis women saw the bright, crimson star in the sky beside the moon.

Whatever that was.

In her trousers with her belt cinched, Natsuki stared at her arm. The most disturbing part was how she could see straight through it to the crystal bone all the way up to her severed arm, seeing the crystal bone mesh perfectly with her own.

Her stomach heaved, but she suppressed it after a moment. Seemed Mai's secret medicine worked…

Shaking her head as she glanced down towards the hand, she lifted her real one and waggled her fingers. The crystal ones moved just as flesh, as dextrous and easily.

Eyes sweeping over the new limb, Natsuki had a sudden idea. Gripping the wrist of crystal, she squeezed tight. It didn't give, and her real hand just felt an ache for gripping so tight.

If her crystal arm had no give and would not break… She could definitely use it. She slipped on her tunic and jacket quickly, a bit spooked from her observation. Looking about the shelves, Natsuki found an abandoned set of gloves and stole one to slip over her crystal hand.

Lifting both hands again, she wiggled her fingers, both sets moving in identical motions.

That'd keep the prying eyes of people away from her who should be minding their own business. Least for now. She nodded to herself, happy with the decision as she slipped her tunic on, leaving the collar open messily before shoving her arms through the sleeves of her jacket.

Now she wanted to see how well the fingers would work for tying shoelaces… it was a simple concept, although it'd prove whether the fine motor skills of her somewhat fake arm were up to standard.

Slipping into her boots, the pirate cocked a brow and lifted one onto a shelf to start. A few mistakes, mostly due to her real hand flinching away when met with the ungiving crystal under the glove, she managed to tie the boot.

She would have to get used to this… After tying the other, Natsuki stretched her back and exited from the smaller room.

"...Thank you." She murmured towards Youko and Aoi, sweeping long hair from being trapped in her collar.

But how many times would she have to remind herself of this, she pondered? Exiting the workshop she made a detour for the upper deck, deciding against going near the chow deck and instead try and get some fresh air.

Perhaps it'd do her some good?

She rose the stairwell towards above deck, easing open the door to greet the fresh open sea air and the steadily rising sun.

"Natsuki." The pirate who had assisted in taking Nao away the day before nodded to her, not seeming too interested in trying to converse.

"Thank you, Nina." The elder murmured softly, passing her with a soft pat to her shoulder.

She was grateful that the woman nodded simply in regards, Natsuki then moving around and inbetween fellow pirates, the crew having finished setting the masts and doing their own thing for the time being.

Truthfully she wasn't sure in what to do and didn't venture towards the railings, else she'd react to the sea and possibly blood-stained planks.

Instead, Natsuki focused on checking the conditions for the ropes for the masts and sails. These ropes were finer and not fraying like her fishing ropes, but they needed to be undamaged and fine. Else the whole Aswad would be in danger…

Taking a seat on a crate by the main mast, the pale pirate sighed and held her gloved hand slightly tight. Still no give, but she was starting to see that as an advantage…

She had attempted to use her powers in a similar fashion in the past, as had everyone naturally with what abilities they held. But still… something this… _alien _was mystifying for the pirate.

What was she even doing though? It wasn't like she could go up the masts and check the ropes completely, seeing as she was still recovering both mentally and physically.

Then again…

The gears within Natsuki's brain rattled, attempting to think up a conclusion.

Having your arm sawn off should kill you with shock, shouldn't it?

She certainly didn't think the shock from last night had worn off either, nor the effect of the blood-loss…Though, that stew Mai had been feeding her really seemed to help her feel better.

Nothing to do, she sat there, entrapped within her own mind. With the padding of her fingertips she felt the coarse material of the rope, lying her crystalline arm against her thigh.

Would the others ever stop looking at her weirdly, to always remember what had happened…? She glared towards a scattering of pirates who eyed her, and they shifted their gazes away, moving back into their own business.

Ugh, the blood she left must still be soaked into the wood, no matter the fast way they tried to clean. What could she do…?

Fiddling with the clasps at the front of her jacket, the sable-haired diver sighed with a bit of ragged hoarseness. She might vomit again…

"Oi, Kruger!" Natsuki jumped and shot her gaze over her shoulder just behind the corner of the middle mast where she sat, the fellow redheaded diver prancing over towards her to stand before her, propping a hand to her hip and leaning on one leg.

"W-what?" The emerald-eyed pirate huffed, attempting to push away the angst she was feeling, trying to make cover for herself in front of Nao.

"What do you mean what?"

"I mean, what?" Natsuki furrowed her brows, standing almost defensively as she eyed the redhead. "You didn't even come see if I was okay."

Shifting her eyes away awkwardly, Nao crossed her arms. "I couldn't exactly do anything when I got dragged down and tied up." She muttered.

Wha-? Tied up?

"Who tied you up?" Natsuki stepped closer, confused as she held her arm behind her back. She wasn't sure she wanted Nao to see it… Again.

"Aoi and… Sara."

It had been annoying to say the least. But she had to admit she would've caused an uproar if she had been free - not that she cared. "...I-"

"Nao would've caused a riot." The helmswoman chipped in this time, appearing behind the mast and halting beside Nao, the slightly taller and spiky blonde woman shook her head.

Natsuki stepped back at Sara's appearance; her stance taken like an injured animal scared of strangers but not of its caretakers. "Yeah… I should probably go… I don't feel well."

"But where?" Nao arched a brow.

Anywhere but near people, apparently.

Natsuki especially didn't want Tomoe seeing her though…

"Back to my quarters…" Natsuki looked away from her, from them both as she backed away. The sickness was rising in her stomach again, and she rose her hand to cough into it as she retreated.

"Ah, are you alright-?" Sara tried to ask before the diver threw her upper-half overboard, the sound of retching soon following.

The blonde and redhead looked at each other and winced, the helmswoman rushing towards the diver whilst the other walked over awkwardly, Sara placing a hand against the woman's back softly, pulling her hair away from her face, stopping it from dangling.

Coughing and spluttering, Natsuki sank against the railing and sighed, the blonde pulling her up from the safety-barrier to bring her fully onto the deck.

"_Urh… gross…"_

So badly did Natsuki want to wipe the vomit from her mouth bu-

Without a another given moment, the helmswoman reached into the pocket of her tight trousers, revealing a handkerchief which she then proceeded to use on Natsuki, wiping whatever trace there had been of the disgusting substance.

"Ugh… Thank you…" The diver flushed darkly, clearing her throat and rubbing over the pale column of her neck. She looked down into the water, forcing herself back from the railings as if the ashen wood had burned her.

"This is pathetic…"

"No it isn't," Sara nudged her away from the railing further, Nao just standing there frozen, and cursed. "Come on, we'll take you below deck," Sara looked over to the shorter woman, cocking a brow. "Nao, help me here."

"Right." The redhead eased to Natsuki's other side but the diver wrenched away from her, holding the covered arm and hand close to her stomach.

The dark-haired pirate shot a look of apology, rubbing her arm slowly without squeezing so as not to feel any part of the hard crystal beneath.

Nao followed after them anyway, Sara jumping down the ladder of the trapdoor which led to the lower decks, waiting for Natsuki who sluggishly followed afterwards. Standing on the top deck still, Nao breathed, scanning the Aswad for a moment; seeing nothing out the originary she frowned, the higher-ups nowhere to be seen, however.

Which well, when she thought of it _was _weird.

Trailing after the pair though, she pushed it to the back of her mind for the time being.

"Thank you, Sara… Nao. I don't think I'll be above deck so soon again." Natsuki made a face as she stopped in front of her door, shaking her head at the blonde's inquisitive gaze.

Without a word, the diver retreated and closed the door with a dull thunk. Nao looked to Sara again, cocking a brow. "This isn't good."

"A sulking Kruger is one thing, but a depressive Kruger?" Nao snorted, making the notion of them leaving for the upper decks. When Sara didn't move however she rolled her lime eyes, grabbing the older pirate by the forearm. "Don't worry about her, she needs time. Stalking her won't do any g-"

"I do not stalk."

"Whatever, Gallagher, just come on!"

Hearing them, the injured pirate shook her head and eased back away from the door. She was not going to be doing well anytime soon…

Sitting onto her bed, Natsuki held her head in her real hand, the gloved one tight in a fist and hanging low almost the the wood. Ever since she had been disgraced-

Forcing herself to stand up, the pirate glared at a letter tacked on the wall, one that no one but her eyes had ever seen. She had never allowed anyone inside of this room for that fact.

It was a Letter of Marque; A document from her former government that meant less that the paper it was written on. The woman that had handed it to her, with that awful almost smirk…

Snatching the letter off the wall, she ripped it violently into shreds.

Care? She didn't, she threw the evidence outside the porthole window once opening it, slamming it shut afterwards.

A letter? Don't make her laugh - besides, what could a letter do to help her in her current situation?

Lawful pirate? Her ass more like.

Nothing could help her now… She was a pirate, a diver who feared the sea! How pathetic was that…?

Natsuki sighed, rubbing and worrying a spot on her brow as she sat upon her bed again. Maybe with time, it would get better, but honestly she couldn't see how.

She felt like sleeping… maybe just sleeping it all off would somehow help her. As much as she doubted it, Natsuki felt it'd be the only answer into getting some peace and quiet from the annoyances of her own company.

All she had to do was make sure this… limb didn't get near her.

**~L~**

"Natsuki holed back into her room. She threw up again, too." Nao commented to the second-in-command, eying her nails. "I don't think we'll be diving again anytime soon."

The redhead blatantly stared at Tomoe this time, attention off of her nails.

Grey-steel of the woman's eyes narrowed for only a brief second, Tomoe's gaze sinking through the fellow pirate, frowning.

What was she even supposed to say?

"... She is still hurt?" The teal-haired officer asked slowly and carefully. Focusing back into the green of Nao's eyes. "Or is the depression kicking in?"

Tomoe had changed out of the clothing which had touched the elder long back, the fabric having been sunk through with the diver's blood. She now wore something plain, which looked pretty odd on the woman, a simple tunic and black trousers, the color having pigments of blue within the material.

"She is hurt… depressed… But something else. She reacted so violently to seeing the water…" Nao hummed lowly, stepping to the side as she rubbed her nails against her tunic.

"I don't think anyone should disturb her. Mai, or Sara, might be alright. No one but those two."

"Hm, right…"

Nao gave Tomoe a funny look. The commander was sure being uncharacteristic right now, it was weird to see the woman so quiet and reserved. "Not that I care but, are you alright?" She casually asked the woman, peering at her nails again, frowning when she found a chip within one. "_Shit."_

"I'm fine." Tomoe answered a bit sharply, crossing her arms loosely over her stomach. This whole situation would make everything harder, especially if they had to replace one of their pirates…

"It will just… be hard to deal with her."

"Just make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, Zhang. We have weeks until we reach Asia." Tomoe bit, spinning to stomp away towards the helm.

All of this for just a few coins and a lion statue. It was moronic.

Nao huffed, stepping away and grumbling softly to herself. "Kruger, you had better get back to normal soon."

Though she'd never admit it, she was worried...

**~L~**

**Thank you for checking this story out! If you have any questions to either author, hit us up in reviews and next chapter we'll address them.**

**This is a collaborated effort between two authors, Harmonium-Kruger (me) and Twisted Eternal Wolvetta.**

**For more stories featuring our writing, check her profile out for Renascence and keep a watch out for more from the both of us!**

**Read and Review and enjoy!**


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